Giraffe-necked reptile hunted underwater

[Still Waters 48,289]

A fossil called Tanystropheus was first described in 1852, and it’s been puzzling scientists ever since. At one point, paleontologists thought it was a flying pterosaur, like a pterodactyl, and that its long, hollow bones were phalanges in the finger that supported the wing. Later on, they figured out that those were elongated neck bones, and that it was a twenty-foot-long reptile with a ten-foot neck: three times as long as its torso. Scientists still weren’t sure if it lived on land or in the water, and they didn’t know if smaller specimens were juveniles or a completely different species — until now.

By CT-scanning the fossils’ crushed skulls and digitally reassembling them, researchers found evidence that the animals were water-dwelling, and by examining the growth rings in bones, determined that the big and little Tanystropheus were separate species that could live alongside each other without competing because they hunted different prey.

https://scitechdaily.com/solved-mystery-thats-been-puzzling-scientists-since-1852-bizarre-giraffe-necked-reptile-hunted-underwater/

[HandsomeGorilla 5,017]

This is the type of **** I like even as an adult. 

Loved the idea of the Loch Ness Monster as a kid! 

[jethrofloyd 1,974]

The best candidate so far for Loch Ness monster. 

[Torviking 99]

Exactly what I have been believing for many years that water would support most of the neck. This maybe why the LNM looks like a giant eel ? I don’t really know, just making a speculation.

[khol 2,235]

Interesting to see through pronounced  examples like this how evolution played out over time. Survial of fittest. Beneficial traits overcoming less beneficial ones.Expanses of time being the canvas from which it's all played out. What an amazing creature!

But if it was such an evolutionary advantage to have extremely long necks millions of years ago why not anymore? Why did the line diverge. We dont see this configuration anymore.Same with land animals. Giraffes will eventually become extinct in wild.

I found this article that points out longer necks allowed animals with such huge mass to to take basically less steps or strokes per mouthful ..conserving energy in the process. Never thought of it but makes perfect sense 

https://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2013/0225/How-did-those-dinosaurs-get-such-long-necks-anyway

 

Edited August 9 by khol

[Humbled Hypocrite83 508]

14 hours ago, Torviking said:

Exactly what I have been believing for many years that water would support most of the neck. This maybe why the LNM looks like a giant eel ? I don’t really know, just making a speculation.

Looks like the water did most of the support 

[Humbled Hypocrite83 508]

I'll just politely comment to shut down all non sense topics... I'll gladly embrace this

[Jon the frog 1,832]

Just heard chiropractors salivating in the background...